‘Irepliedthatthatwasratheradifficultquestion, butthatonthewhole, , andwehadtoabidebyit.’
‘Evenwhenitispowerless?’
‘Idon’tquiteunderstand.’
‘It’sdifficulttoexplain; butonemightdosomethingthatisconsidereddefinitelywrong – thatisconsideredacrime, even, foragoodandsufficientreason.’
Ireplieddrylythatpossiblyseveralcriminalshadthoughtthatintheirtime, andsheshrankback.
‘Butthat’shorrible,’shemurmured.‘Horrible.’
—shehesitated—sincethatterribleshock.
‘You’resureitisthat? Thereisnothingworryingyou? Nothingonyourmind?’
‘Onmymind? Whatshouldbeonmymind?’
Shespokefiercelyandsuspiciously.
‘Worryisacauseofsleeplessnesssometimes,’Isaidlightly.
Sheseemedtobroodforamoment.
‘Doyoumeanworryingoverthefuture, orworryingoverthepast, whichcan’tbealtered?’
‘Either.’
‘Onlyitwouldn’’tbringback—Oh! What’stheuse! Onemustn’.’
.‘Youcouldn’tbringback—’‘What? Orwho?’
’texpectit, ofcourse, butwhenithappened, Iwasn’, yousee, MaryBartonstruckmeallalongasaconscientiouswoman—notaweaksinner, butawomanwithconvictions, whowouldactuptothem, -searcher-remorse.
ThethinghappenedinCornwall, inasmallwatering-place, —letmesee——, mutteringtoherself, , shesaid, , insteadofproceeding, , anddidnottakeherself-accusationseriously.
:
Itriedtospeaktothevicaryesterday, toconfessall, —alifeforalife; andmylifemustgothesamewayashersdid.I, too, ’.
—MaryBarton
Herclotheswerefoundlyingonthebeachinasecludedcovenearby, anditseemedclearthatshehadundressedthereandswumresolutelyouttoseawherethecurrentwasknowntobedangerous, sweepingonedownthecoast.
